Wet weather may have foiled our plans for a carriage driving lesson with Henry's Home, but it was a good opportunity to practice carriage maintenance and harness fitting!
Tag: Harness
Starting a Horse to Drive
Have you ever wondered how horses learn to pull a carriage? Here is an exercise that introduces your horse to the feel of the traces and pulling a load.
A Brief Overview of Carriage Shaft Hardware and Fittings
Ranch Ride Carriage Drive answers your questions! Lately we've had some questions about the hardware and fittings on carriage shafts. What's this brass thing? What goes in this second staple? If you've ever wondered, here's your chance to find out! Come along with us as Paul explains each fitting, step by step.
Interview with Nicole Burnett: Everything is an Opportunity for Growth
In case you missed this last year - soon after we arrived in Texas, we were thrilled to sit down with Nicole Burnett, of The Resilient Reiner, for a wide-ranging discussion about the challenges, setbacks, learning opportunities and just plain fun of working with horses! Grab your favorite beverage and have a listen!
Ranch Ride Carriage Drive Private Driving Clinic April 2024
Ranch Ride Carriage Drive provided a private four-session driving clinic at our clients' request.
A New Turnout: Fitting the Pieces Together
Today we're helping a client to set up a new pony with a new harness and new cart. Correct fit and adjustments are important for safety, comfort of the horse, and load balance!
A Weekend of Carriage Driving, Learning, and Fun!
We recently supported a weekend carriage driving clinic held at McLennan Community College's beautiful 200-acre Highland Ranch. We hope you enjoy these photos as much as we do!
Thoughts on Full Collars
Today, Ranch Ride Carriage Drive is training with full collars in preparation for using them at an event. We'll show you why the direction of the hame straps matters for safety, and talk a little about the advantages of full collars vs. breast collars.
Pushmi-Pullyu: What is the Carriage Horse Really Doing?
It’s common to speak of horse-drawn carriages, or to say that a horse is pulling a carriage. This is intuitive; they are in front of it, aren’t they? But horses are not people. Are they really pulling it, or are they pushing?
Driving a Five-in-Hand Mountain Team
One of the more rarely seen turnouts is a five-in-hand, mountain team or pickaxe as it’s referred to here in the US. The first time I really became aware of the expression “mountain team” was when I was working for Andreas Nemitz, who used a five-in-hand to cross the Alps on his nine-day Lindau Messenger tour every year. I soon learned that driving a five-in-hand has its challenges!
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